Your letters: May 25, 2009

What a hypocrite! President Barack Obama is putting new rules on fuel-emissions standards for cars that will again cost the taxpayer more money when they buy a car, yet he, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other politicians continue flying everywhere in their big, gas-guzzling airplanes.

What a double standard this is!

— Linda Brown, Ventura

Free speech has limits

With the privilege of free speech comes responsibility. Yes, free speech allows anyone to do and say whatever they want. But when you break the law or physically harm another being, you can no longer hide behind free speech.

The Supreme Court ruling that making and selling “snuff films” — films in which women wear high heels, then stomp small animals to death — is protected by free speech, makes me wonder: Where do they draw the line?

In every state, there are laws that say beating an animal to death is a crime. So why then, when someone makes a video of animals being beaten to death and profits from it, do we call it a “fetish” or a “sexual fantasy”? Call it what it is: animal abuse!

Right now, someone is reading this, a newspaper, a form of free speech. Some people might not agree or might even be offended. But I am not causing any physical harm, nor am I breaking any laws. That to me is the difference between free speech and hiding behind it.

— Karina Carson, Moorpark

Why people don’t vote

Re: your May 21 editorial, “A dismal showing”:

The Star still doesn’t get it. Let me explain: “The state of California has a dysfunctional government” — period. Californians are sick and tired of voting for a measure, only to have some liberal judge overturn the will of the people!

So the people of this state say, “What’s the use? Why should I vote?” And that is why the people in California don’t vote.